Postgraduate: Course rule and topic information

Graduate Diploma in Palliative Care in Aged Care

(GradDipPallCAgedCare)

Program of Study

INTRODUCTION

The Graduate Diploma in Palliative Care in Aged Care is a 36-unit program offered by the Faculty of Health Sciences on a Commonwealth Supported basis. The course articulates with the Graduate Certificate in Palliative Care in Aged Care and the Master of Palliative Care in Aged Care and the sequentially developed topics allow progression through the awards. Students who hold the graduate certificate or graduate diploma receive credit for topics towards the Master of Palliative Care in Aged Care. The program can be undertaken full-time in two semesters or equivalent part-time.

COURSE AIMS

This course aims to meet the professional development needs of practitioners involved in policy, planning or delivery of palliative care services to older persons. It seeks to introduce students to the principles and skills involved in the provision of palliative care in aged care. It aims to provide practitioners from backgrounds in either gerontology or palliative care with education in the specialty area of palliative care in aged care.

This award will build on the Graduate Certificate in Palliative Care in Aged Care.

Specifically, the course aims:

• to enable practitioners in the area to select a series of topics built on core material, that will assist them to critically assess and address particular needs within their practice;
• to bring together people from diverse backgrounds and disciplines to work together in appraisal, assessment and problem-solving required of an interdisciplinary professional team in this area;
• to develop independent critical thinkers who will guide the practice of palliative care in applied gerontology into the next stage of its development;
• to introduce the concepts of death, dying and palliative care in applied gerontology and the implications of these concepts for professional practice;
• to outline views of ageing, particularly the 'life-course perspective';
• to examine the legislative and ethical issues pertaining to the provision of palliative care in aged care settings;
• to develop knowledge and skills in assessing and critiquing introductory level gerontological and palliative care research;
• to provide opportunities for students to access and develop skills in continuing online learning and web-based research in relation to professional practice.

COURSE RULE

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

Applicants who do not hold the Graduate Certificate in Palliative Care in Aged Care must normally hold an approved degree or equivalent qualification from an approved tertiary institution in an area related to palliative care or gerontology. The Faculty Board may, under certain circumstances and subject to specific conditions, admit others who can show evidence of fitness for candidature.

PROGRAM OF STUDY [November, 2007]

To qualify for the Graduate Diploma in Palliative Care in Aged Care, a student must complete 36 units with a grade of P or NGP or better in each topic, according to the program of study below.

Not all topics are necessarily available in a given year.

Students undertake the following 24 units of core topics:

Core topics

AGES8001	Introduction to Social Gerontology	3
AGES8002	Principles of Clinical Gerontology	3
AGES8003	Psychological Dimensions of Ageing	3
AGES8004	Multidisciplinary Gerontology Assessment	3
PALL8410	Palliative Care in Aged Care Settings	3
PALL8411	Palliative Clinical Management A	3
PALL8412	Palliative Clinical Management B	3
PALL8413	Communication at the End of Life A	3

Elective topics

AGES8010	Mental Health and the Older Person	3
AGES8013	Medication and Ageing	3
PALL8407	Oncology for Palliative Care	6
PALL8409	Spiritual and Cultural Aspects of Palliative Care	6
PALL8414	Communication at the End of Life B	3
PALL8415	Advanced Palliative Clinical Management	6
PALL8416	Palliative Care for Indigenous Populations - Health, Culture and Society	6

Except with permission of the Faculty Board:

• the course must be completed full-time within two consecutive semesters or part-time within six consecutive semesters. A lesser period may be set for students granted credit for previous studies.
• no topic may be attempted more than twice.

The award of a grade of Fail (F) in 18 units or more, or the award of a grade of Fail (F) in the same topic on more than one occasion, may constitute prima facie evidence of unsatisfactory progress for the purposes of the University's Policy on Student Progress.